


artistic equations to love (and other lessons)

by thegreatmoon



Series: xmas gifts 2k19 [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 14:08:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21736003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreatmoon/pseuds/thegreatmoon
Summary: taeyong and taeil are the most talked about possible-couple in school. there’s just one thing: they aren’t students, but teachers.
Relationships: Lee Taeyong/Moon Taeil
Series: xmas gifts 2k19 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1555732
Comments: 9
Kudos: 108





	artistic equations to love (and other lessons)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [expectans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/expectans/gifts).

> if the title is bad, i thought about it for 2 minutes so . 
> 
> this is for bella !!!! the first thing i wrote thinking of you, I hope you like it!!! it turned way bigger than I expected but then again, so did my love for you !!!! I love you so so so much, i’m so proud of you this year. you just did so much and I think you have no idea how much I admire you. I hope you like this ^^
> 
> xx  
sol

Many things could be said about the students of Riverdam High School. They excelled in their chosen field, were always very polite to people and spoke freely with teachers. The school didn’t stick to hierarchy norms and it was often students would chat and befriend their teachers, always holding the utmost respect. Another thing that could be said about Riverdam students is that their life didn’t lack interesting matters to talk about.

They would always be found whispering to each other, very perceptive of their surroundings, sharing the latest news of couples, friendships and behind the curtains gossip. Their latest favorite subject was the famous friendship between Math teacher Moon Taeil and Art teacher Lee Taeyong.

It was a known fact they were close, even people who didn’t have any classes with them knew it. Both teachers told a different story on how they got closer. Mr. Moon said Taeyong started driving him home since they lived close by, while Mr. Lee refuted that idea completely, claiming Taeil fell for his charms after a conversation about teaching in the teachers’ lounge. Nonetheless, both of them were often seen together on school grounds and it was a rarity when people saw their beloved Art teacher returning home with his car empty or their Math teacher catching a bus.

They were quite a weird combo at first sight. Teacher Moon was very methodical and explained every single step in an equation, always giving his students lots of examples. His voice was low and sometimes the students would ask him to repeat himself as he was not heard. The teacher, a small man with a styled side cut and round spectacles, would chuckle awkwardly, say he was sorry and repeat patiently what he had just explained, a bit louder and slower. He wasn’t particularly funny due to his insights or jokes, but how he spoke things and his facial expressions would sometimes make people burst out laughing, and he would laugh along with his students merrily. There were not many laughs when his exam results came. He would sometimes scold his class caringly about studying more and offer himself to take any questions they might have. Even with his fame for lowering students’ grades, his teaching was excellent, so it was only fair for him to be more strict. He was still very much loved, most students finding Teacher Moon very cute and from time to time imitating the way he spoke slang or smiled awkwardly. Legend has it once a student asked how such a smart man as he chose the life of a teacher instead of trying to make it as an engineer overseas. Teacher Moon turned around, with his usual half-smile, and said calmly: “Well, without teachers such engineers wouldn’t exist, right?” The whole class was left in awe and he returned to his board to explain the graph.

Lee Taeyong was another matter entirely. Energetic, he often spoke so fast his students had to ask him to repeat himself, and he did so, sometimes even faster. He would rile himself up fast-talking about artists all over the world as well as art manifestations. He liked to innovate and understood his class as more than History of Art, so it was often he took students for Art Museums, for streets filled with graffiti and for them to do their own art in the open air. Most of the time his grades would be for participation only and it wasn’t hard for his students to be willing to take part in class, since teacher Lee would often prepare quizzes, games and treasure hunts for them to talk and get small prizes, such as watching a youtube clip of their favorite artist at the end of class. Taeyong was the stereotypical Art teacher. While Taeil dressed rather conservatively with his buttoned shirts and sweaters, Taeyong wore large T-Shirts that more than often were stained with paint, and his hair was dyed purple. He was known as the cool hip teacher, but students knew he couldn’t stand anyone who disrespected Art or his class and so for someone to be his student they had to take an effort. His motto in life was “Art is everything. Therefore it is nothing.” He didn’t explain it any further, as he wanted his students to take their own ideas from the quote.

Putting both teachers in such a perspective, it would be hard to understand why didn’t Moon Taeil ended up befriending the quieter Biology teacher Kim Jungwoo or how Lee Taeyong wasn’t close to the active P.E. teacher Suh Youngho. Yet, when they started talking about each other, the match was instant. There was no way for Teacher Moon and Teacher Lee not to become friends, they fit each other perfectly.

Taeyong was the most enthusiastic and shameless, sharing stories about them daily to his students. His adoration was clear for everyone to see and his doe eyes would lit up with any mention of the Math teacher. From time to time he would try to tone it down, but the students asked him about how Taeil was doing and he couldn’t help himself. The favorite subject of conversation would be Taeil’s usual chaos in the kitchen. Taeyong was an amazing cook, but sometimes he let his friend take the wheel for his own (and his students’) amusement. He rather liked helping Taeil out in his moments of despair, saving him from his own burnt food and horrible sauce. Everyone laughed along and once when sharing Taeil’s horrible experience with slicing tomatoes, a student cried due to lack of air in his lungs.

The kitchen mess enabler wasn’t as eager sharing stories. He didn’t mind Taeyong doing it, it was part of his free spirit personality to share things so easily, and he knew the reason he was the center of so many of his stories was that Taeyong cherished him the most, but Taeil himself couldn’t do it. From time to time his own students would share some anecdote Taeyong said to class and the teacher would raise his eyebrows above his glasses and mutter an amused: “Oh really? What else did Taeyong say?” When the subject was on time and students begged him to talk more about the Art teacher, Taeil showed vídeos he had shot of Taeyong making him food or dancing in his living room. The students always gave the best reactions and Taeil would often blush.

Due to their duo’s fame, it was common for Taeyong to call Taeil for help with class trips to museums or around the city. Teacher Moon was helpless when it came to art, but he listened to Taeyong ranting patiently and tried to learn a thing or two. The students paid attention to every single move on Taeil’s facial expression, every touch the teachers shared and would offer themselves to take photos of what they hoped would be a future couple. Some would say they were already dating but hadn’t told them yet, others would refute that, arguing Taeil was clueless to Taeyong’s adoration and his own feelings. They tried their best for them to get together, becoming almost annoying to the point of asking Teacher Lee what he would gift Taeil for Valentines’ Day.

“Oh, friends give each other gifts that day?” Taeyong asked, innocently confused.

“Special kinds of friends do!” Another student spoke out. Taeyong shook his head and chuckled. He knew what his mischievous students were up to, but he wasn’t dumb enough to fall in their game.

He didn’t mind students picked on his crush. He knew he was obvious. Being an art lover, Yong couldn’t help openly stating what he liked the most and if he had to rank his tastes, Taeil had been taking the number one spot for a long time now. Everything about him simply mesmerized Taeyong, who teased him endlessly. He couldn’t tell exactly when he became whipped for the Math teacher, but he remembered exactly when he noticed. Exams had finished and so teacher Moon had loads of tests to correct. For it not to be so hard on him, both decided they would hang out at his house, Taeyong would cook for him and they’d watch a movie after he was done. Taeil didn’t manage to finish correcting on time and started sleeping over the table, a red pen still on his hand, squishy cheek pressed against the other as he drooled over the wood. Taeyong finished washing the dishes from their dinner together and gently took Taeil’s pen from his hand and his glasses from over his nose. He put the older teacher’s arm over his shoulder and carried him to his bed. Taeil mumbled something about having to finish correcting but Taeyong quickly shushed him and put him to bed. The Art teacher was about to leave for his home but was held by a very strong hand considering Taeil was half asleep. He had no choice besides getting his own shoes off and laying next to his friend, who quickly placed his head against his chest. The purple-haired breathed in hard. He started caressing Taeil’s hair as he also drifted to sleep. Before losing consciousness, he thought “I’m in love with a Math teacher”.

Since then his existence had been haunted by the idea that his love might not be mutual. Taeil barely ever talked about his romantic life, he never mentioned it to Taeyong, only briefly talking about his ex, but nothing much. He was also a very reserved person, closing himself the minute he felt uncomfortable, and Taeyong wouldn’t wish to throw him off of his comfort zone bluntly flirting with him. Therefore the Art teacher resigned himself to being a pillar to Moon Taeil’s life, to become so essential one day he would just wake up and see Taeyong was there all along.

No adjustments had to be made. Taeyong himself hadn’t noticed how vital he was to Taeil and how the other way around was also true. Their existence was completely stained with each other’s company. He just hoped for the day Taeil could see it as more than platonic.

A day that changes everything usually starts like any other day. Taeyong and Taeil each woke up at their homes and got ready for school. The Math teacher had all his material ready and took his breakfast slowly, while Taeyong almost missed his alarm and barely had time to drink coffee. He grabbed the keys to his car and drove to school. On the way, he stopped by Taeil’s house. As always, teacher Moon looked heartstopping, with a yellow oversized sweater and beautiful round glasses. Anyone wearing those clothes would probably look twenty years older, but perhaps due to some magic trick, Taeil looked even younger. He hopped on the passenger’s seat and both started talking as they always did. Arriving at school, they both went their ways to only meet again on the break.

In the middle of explaining function to his excited students, Taeil heard a knock on the door before it was opened and he saw the familiar purple mane. Before the teachers could greet each other, a student started gossiping: “Mr. Lee shared your latest mess in the kitchen burning rice.”

The Math teacher gazed at Taeyong with an amused smile: “Oh, did he? Guess it’s time to show the video of 14-year-old Mr. Lee reciting a love poem…”

Threatening Moon Taeil was probably the sexiest Moon Taeil to exist. Taeyong had to gulp before answering: “You wouldn’t dare.”

“And not grace the students with your horrible teenage hair? Perhaps you don’t know me enough.” The students laughed, riled up for any crumbs of their favorite couple’s interaction. Taeyong knew he would be questioned by his classes for weeks to come and they would probably whine to bring teacher Moon to pay a visit.

“Came to drop these. You forgot in the car.” Taeyong put a folder with the next week’s exam over the teacher’s table. While dropping it, his eyes met Taeil’s. He couldn’t help but stare back.

The Math teacher teased, “An excuse to see me?”

Damned, be Taeyong if he got flustered in front of his students. He knew he could probably find an answer that would shut Taeil up, but he wouldn’t dare in front of that crowd, so he just winked: “You know me just enough.”

Teacher Moon gasped but didn’t manage an answer, so Taeyong turned around. He was already on his way to the door, while Taeil had returned to his whiteboard when another student started gushing out: “You two are so adorable! Just date already!”

Fortunately, everyone laughed and so did Taeyong as he closed the door. He still caught Taeil’s voice, louder than usual, probably due to the recent laughs he just had and in an attempt to make class focus again. “So, let’s go back to function, shall we?” The students whined, but he went on. Taeyong could even picture his smile through his voice.“Oh, how I adore my excited students.”

✎

Going to the car together was more awkward than it usually was. For some reason, Taeil wasn’t very responsive and Taeyong found it hard to keep conversation by himself. They were going down the building’s stairs when the Math teacher finally spoke more than three words in a sentence.

“I think our students like us together.” He commented along with a chuckle.

Taeyong felt his cheeks burning. “They always have.”

They were in the parking lot. How thankful was Taeyong, dreaming of light traffic so he could drop Taeil off the fastest he could.

“No, I mean _together_ together. They have a wild imagination.” They were already next to Taeyong’s adorably old and red beetle. The keys were in his hands, he could just open the car and ignore whatever his friend was saying. Instead, he turned around and stared at Taeil.

“Is it so out of this world?” He asked, no sign of a smile on his face.

“N-no, no…” Taeil was suddenly taken aback. Confusion turned into realization, as he finally understood what Taeyong meant. “Fuck, I’m so dumb.”

The Art teacher chuckled with a little humor to it. Even being so tense from his unwanted confession, he couldn’t help but give in to Taeil’s charms, since he was still adorably confused and clueless. What would become of him if he didn’t have Taeyong to guide him?

“You never picked on it? Students being smarter than the teacher.”

Taeil nodded, adjusting his glasses. “They usually are.” Taeyong turned around to open his car. It hadn’t been so horrible now that the truth was out there. He hadn’t gotten a no from the other, but the message was pretty clear to him. He had survived. The world was fine. He was about to get in when Taeil held his wrist. Taeyong turned back around to see his friend avoiding his eyes and anxiously staring at the floor. “If I had picked on it, I’d have done something.”

Taeyong had just accepted his love was unrequited and was to be done with it. But there it came, the cute Math teacher with its round glasses and oversized sweaters, holding his wrist with what could be seen of his pawn, and anxiously biting his lips as he said one of the most unspecific things ever to be spoken. Wasn’t Math all about precision? What the hell did he mean by ‘something’? Whatever it was, the purple-haired couldn’t simply open the door of his car just yet.

“Like what?”

Taeil stopped holding Taeyong by the wrist and finally looked up to meet his eyes: “Take you out on a date or something…”

Taeyong’s heart was out of his chest. He grabbed Taeil’s wrist and put him against the car. He wanted to smash his lips with his already, but took his time to remember every single piece of it, from Taeil’s bitten bottom lip to his unsteady breath. He would have to paint that later on, this was more than art worthy.

“You can start by kissing me.” He whispered, and so Taeil grabbed him by the collar of his stained shirt and brought their lips together, as Taeyong held his waist and pressed him against the car.

If there were any students watching as they cheered silently, there was no way for them to know. Riverdam students were known for being polite and respectful. What they had just seen wouldn’t leave their mouths until an official announcement came from the teachers, but you can bet that when they did announce it, a lot of wedding invites would be requested.

**Author's Note:**

> i write taeil fics and nct text aus
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/thegreatmoon94)
> 
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/thegreatmoon94)
> 
> [carrd](https://gardenofwords.carrd.co/)
> 
>   
xx  
sol


End file.
